Marking device



Oc 31, 1961 E. s. NELSON ETAL 3,006,024

MARKING DEVICE Filed May 27, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS CHARLES J. NELSON EVAN s. NELSON ATTORNEYS Oct. 31, 1961 E. s. NELSON ETAL MARKING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 27, 1957 N w f V J w m H 0 L R m m 1 \Qh' WI mmwmm nfik c M /'5/ v ,/4 .74 V

S. NELSON EVAN ATTORNE United States Patent 3,006,024 MARKING DEVICE Evan S. Nelson and Charles J. Nelson, Iron Mountain,

Mich., assignors to The Nelson Company, Iron Mountain, Mich.

Filed May 27, 1957, Ser. No. 661,955

a 7 Claims. (Cl. 565) This invention relates to marking devices and particularly to an improved impact-type marking device.

The invention is described as embodied in a paint hammer which includes a can of paint with an outlet neck of reduced diameter and a special impact cushion applicator fastened to the neck of the can. The can is releasably secured to a handle and this assembly is intended to be used in most instances by striking it hammer fashion against the surface to be marked.

Such a paint hammer, for example, can be used for marking trees, stacks of lumber, railroad ties, and many other articles where coded information may be recorded as a function of color or the number or arrangement of marks.

Among the many advantages of paint hammers embodying the present invention are those resulting from the fact that the flow of the marking liquid or paint to the impact surface of the porous applicator is controlled by one or more perforated barriers extending across the neck of the can with a liquid-retaining reservoir outside of the barrier covered by the pervious material forming the impact surface. In our presently preferred embodiments of this invention the liquid-retaining reservoir is defined by a well cut into the pervious material, and the pervious material has multitudes of capillary passages extending radially out from the side walls of the well in a direction generally parallel with the plane of the mouth of the can.

The various aspects, features, and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in or be apparent from the following detailed description of a marking device incorporating the invention considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a paint hammer incorporating the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the paint hammer in which the pervious applicator has a liquid-retaining well therein and a perforated barrier is formed extending across near the mouth of this well by means of a cupped disk force-fitted into the neck of the container for the marking fluid;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of the paint hammer" in which the pervious applicator has a liquid-retaining well therein and a perforated barrier is formed extending across adjacent to the mouth of this well by means of a perforated top surface of the cap;

FIGURES 4, 5, and 6 are partial sectional views, on enlarged scale, illustrating the advantageous control of the marking fluid by means of a pervious applicator having a well and having a double-barrier positioned across the neck of the container near the mouth of the well. These three figures show in sequence, the action as the paint hammer is swung toward, then struck against and then swung away from a surface to be marked; and

FIGURES 7, 8, and 9 show three different sizes of wells in the pervious material, suitable for use under different ranges of ambient temperatures.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the paint hammer includes a handle 2, for example about two feet long, arranged to support a container 4 which may be filled with paint or some other marking fluid. A somewhat pervious applicator 50 is secured to an outlet neck of reduced diameter at one end of the container 4.

In use the paint hammer is held by the handle 2 and the applicator 50 is caused to strike the article to be marked. This action forces a small quantity of paint from the can 4 to penetrate the pervious applicator 50 and be applied to the article struck with the applicator.

The can 4 can be formed of a standard screw-cap paint can or other conventional container. As best shown in FIGURE 6 the applicator is formed of a perforated screwtype cap 8 forming a perforated barrier 9 having a plurality of small openings therein. This perforated barrier is covered by suitable porous material providing a liquidretaining reservoir 11 that permits the transmission of controlled amounts of paint and at the same time provides a cushion for absorbing part of the impact when the article to be marked is struck.

Preferably the perforations in the cap 8 are made by driving sharp-pointed punches against the inner surface of the cap so as to form outwardly extending barbs. The liquid-retaining reservoir 11 is positioned over the perforations and barbs. The cushioned structure of the pervious opening in the container permits the paint to be driven by impact through the capillary passages without damage to the surface being marked or to the paint container.

In operation, a limited amount of the marking paint is forced by impact through the small perforations 10 in the perforated barrier 9 and then is retained in the reservoir 11. Upon striking a surface to be marked, this marking liquid paint is transmitted through the porous applicator 50 and thus is applied to the surface.

In order to protect the contents of the can 4 during shipping, a layer 24 of foil or other flexible impervious material is placed over the neck 40 and secured in position by the cap 8, as indicated in FIGURES 2 and 3. Thus, it is only necessary to remove the layer of foil 24 from beneath the cap 8 to place the container in condition for use.

The container 4 is mounted in a bracket 28 having a circular band 29 adapted to surround the paint can near its center. A first U-shaped strap 31 has its ends riveted at 33 to opposite sides of the circular band 29. A second U-shaped strap 34 has two long arms extending along the full length of the can with inwardly hooking detents 35 at their free ends formed by S-bends at the ends of the strap 34. The intersections of the circular band 29 and the long arms of the U-shaped strap 34 are secured to yoke members 30 of the handle 2 by means of wing nuts 32. The container 4 thus may be positioned with its longitudinal axis substantially at right angles to the handle 2, or it may be positioned at any other desired angle. Once the position is selected it can be locked in position by means of the wing nuts 32.

Advantageously, the bottom portions of the two U-shaped straps 31 and 34 together with the circular band 29 form a basket for receiving the closed end of the paint container 4. The inwardly-hooking detents 35 resiliently snap over the rim 36 of the can at the end near the neck of reduced diameter. These detents 35 thus hold the can firmly nested in the bracket 28 during operation. When the contents of a container are used up, thesedetents 35 are readily unhooked from the rim 36 by pressing outwardly with the thumbs on the detents 35. Then long arms 34 are resiliently sprung apart slightly to release .the empty can and to receive a full one in its place.

. In the remaining figures of the drawings, parts of the various embodiments of the paint hammer performing functions, corresponding with those of FIGURE 1 have corresponding reference numerals. In. the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES 2 and 4, a perforated barrier 9A is formed by press fitting a cupped disk 38 (please also see FIGURES 5 and 6) down into the opening within the reduced diameter neck 40 of the container 4. This disk 38 has an outside diameter just slightly larger than the inside diameter of the neck 40, so that the disk fits tightly in position, as illustrated in FIGURES 4, 5, and 6. There is an upwardly-cupped flange 42 on the disk which is positioned-toward the top end of the neck 40.

In order to obtain the desired positioning of the perforated disk 38, it is driven down into the neck until the edge of the flange 42 is just flush with the top of the neck 40. Thus, the plane of the perforated barrier 9A is spaced back from the top edge of the neck 40 by a spacing equal to the depth of the flange 42. As shown most clearly in FIGURES 4-6, the top end of the neck 40 is formed by rolling the lip 44 of the metal of the can top back into the opening of the neck to form a somewhat rounded bead 46 running around the top ofthe neck. The flange 42 fits firmly against this'inturned lip 44. The very rim 48 of the flange 42 is rolled outwardly so as to form a shoulder or stop which engages against the inner surface of the rounded bead 46 and stops the disk 38 in position after it has been fully inserted. As shown in FIGURE 2, the full container is shipped with an impervious flexible sealing sheet 24 of foil or plastic material fitting over the neck 40 underneath the screw cap 8. In preparation for use, the screw cap 8 is unscrewed from the neck of the container and this impervious seal 24 is readily removed. Then the cap 8 is placed back on the neck and, with the container 4 gripped in the bracket 28, the paint hammer is immediately ready for use. Instead of using a sheet 24, the shipper can also use a leak-proof sealing disk which is clamped down firmly against'the head 46 by screwing the cap on tightly.

In the embodiment of FIGURES 2 and 4 the cushion applicator 6 includes a circular felt pad 50 having a diameter equal to that of the cap and a relatively large height compared with its diameter. In this example being shown this applicator diameter is 1% inches and the height of the pad is between 30% and 50% of its diameter, being between /2 and A of an inch high, and is here shown A of an inch high.

In order to provide the proper amount of marking paint at the front contact surface 52 of the pad 50 while preventing any escape or splattering of the paint as the hammer is swung around and moved back and forth, the pad is cut from felt so that the capillary passages 54 therein are generally parallel with the plane of the top of the container. The operation and advantages of this felt pad applicator will be described in detail further below, An annular gasket 56 fits within the cap 8 and seats down upon the bead 46. In the embodiment of FIGURES 2 and 4, only one perforated barrier 9A is employed. The marking paint passes through the openings into a liquid-retaining reservoir 11 defined by the space above the barrier 9A and by a circular well 58 concentric within the pad 50 and extending to a depth approximately one half the height of the pad. A circular opening 60 is cut in the top of the cap 8 having a diameter approximately equal to the internal diameter of the gasket 56.

Directing attention to FIGURE 4, it will be appreciated that the perforations 10 in the barrier 9A are preferably formed in a fashion similar to those in the cap 8 of FIGURE 6. Thus, outwardly extending barbs are provided around the perimeter of each opening 10 in the barrier 9A as seen in cross section in FIGURE 4.

This perforated barrier 9A performs two important functions. During the time that the paint hammer is swung away from or held away from or swung toward a surface to be marked, as indicated in FIGURE 4, this barrier 9A tends to prevent all of the marking liquid 62 from draining back out of the reservoir 11. Thus, advantageously, a substantial quantity of the paint 62 is held within the well 58. The outwardly projecting barbs around the openings 10 help in retaining the desired amount of paint in the reservoir 11. Y

A second important function performed by the perforated barrier 9A is illustrated in FIGURE 5 and occurs at the moment when the front surface 52 of the felt pad is humped against an article 64 to be marked. The barrier 9A also controls the flow of paint from the interior of the container into the reservoir 11. It prevents the full forward momentum of the paint from slamming up against the inside of the felt pad as the impact occurs. Instead, thin streams of paint -66 squirt forward into the reservoir 11, while the main body of the paint is held back by the barrier. This prevents any tendency for the forward momentum of the paint to extrude an excess out through the capillary passages in the pad 50.

Preferably, the openings 10 have a size in the range from of an inch to ,4, of an inch, and an average size of about of an inch is found to be very satisfactory.

As indicated at 68, the felt pad 50 is glued to the cap 8 by an annular band of solvent-proof adhesive about A of an inch wide running around the top of the cap. We find that a solvent-proof adhesive such as that sold under the name 3M Brand-EC 776 and obtainable from Minnesota Mining and Mfg. Co. is very satisfactory for this purpose. i

Attention is again directed to the fact that the capillary passages 54 run generally radially outwardly from the Wall of the well 58, but these passages do not run forward. This orientation of the passages is very advantageous in controlling the release of paint. A type of pumping action occurs radially out from the well 11. Thus, as shown in FIGURE 5, at the time that the impact occurs, the felt pad 50 is compressed, reducing the passages 54 and extruding the paint laterally to the outside of the pad 50 as indicated by the arrows. This extruded paint 62 finds its way to the front surface 52 by a wicking action along the outer surface of the pad.

As the pad is pulled back from the article 64 as indicated in FIGURE 7, leaving a mark 70, the pad expands back to its original height, the capillary passages 54 enlarge and suck additional paint radially out from the side wall of the well 58, as indicated by the radial arrows.

Experiments show that having the capillary passages 54 in the felt running the other way, that is, perpendicular to the surface 52 does not work satisfactorily. There is a tendency to release too much paint; no controlled pumping action occurs. The excess paint released to the surface 52'is'wasteful and causes splattering upon impact and releases paint droplets as the hammer is moved around between marking strokes.

With the controlled pumping action obtained by the felt pad, between 2,000 and 2,500 bright solid marks are obtained from a single pint of paint, U.S. liquid measure. A rapid wrist motion can produce as many as 100 marks per minute without any dripping or splattering.

In order to accommodate for changes in paint viscosity occurring over wide ranges in temperature so as to obtain the desired marking action, the size and configuration of the well 58 may be changed. For average temperate climates the well 58 has a diameter approximately equal to the wall thickness 72 of the pad around the well. For example, in the illustration of FIGURES 4, 5,and 6 the well 58 is A; of an inch in diameter and the wall thickness of the slightly less than /s of an inch. This is indicated also in FIGURE 9.

For very cold weather, such as sub-zero Fahrenheit, the well is enlarged to about /3 of an inch as shown at 58A in the pad 56A of FIGURE 7. This leaves a pad wall thickness of about of an inch, or namely about onehalf the well diameter.

As shown in the pad 50B of FIGURE 9, for very warm equatorial weather the well 50B is formed by making an annular cut and leaving the core 74 in place. The

I annular well 58B is about the same diameter as that at 5 8 in FIGURE 8. In this way, the paint hammer can be used throughout the full temperature range from 50 F. to 110 F.

The embodiment of FIGURE 3 is identical with that of FIGURES 2, 4 and 5, except that the barrier 9 is provided byv a perforated top of the cap, as in FIGURE 6. In this case the reservoir 11 will be somewhat smaller because of the loss of headspace as is provided by the depth of the flange 42 in the former embodiment.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 6, two barriers 9 and 9A are shown. This arrangement works the best of all in monitoring the supply of paint to the front surface 52. This produces a narrow intermediate reservoir space 11' and is very effective in restraining the forward momentum of the paint and in retaining the desired paint in reservoir 11. FIGURE 6 happens to be shown on the backstroke to complete the cycle.

The container 4 shown holds 1 US. pint, liquid measure, being 4 /2 inches long not including the neck 40 and 2% inches in diameter. The reduced diameter neck is 1% inches in diameter and protrudes up of an inch from the rim 36. Thus, when the applicator 6 is in place it protrudes forward almost 1% inches from the rim- 36 in good position for marking without denting the container.

From the foregoing specific illustrations, it will be appreciated that we have provided an eflicient and economical paint hammer well adapted to attain the desired purposes of clean, neat marking without waste of paint, splattering, or dripping.

This is a continuation-in-part of our prior copending application Serial No. 550,664, filed December 2, 1955, now Patent No. 2,967,318.

What is claimed is:

l. A paint hammer including an elongated container having a protruding neck of reduced diameter at its top end, a screw-type cap on the neck of the container having an opening therein, a felt pad extending over the opening in said cap and secured to the perimeter of the top of the cap, the entire thickness of said felt pad projecting above the top of said cap, said felt pad having a well opening therein in the face thereof adjacent to the opening in said cap, said felt pad having capillary passages extending radially out from the well through the wall of the pad surrounding said well and generally parallel with the plane of the top end of the container, and a perforated barrier secured within the protruding neck, the plane of said barrier being parallel with the plane of the top end of the container.

2. A paint hammer including a container having a protruding neck of reduced diameter, a screw-type cap on this neck, said cap having a plurality of small openings therein of a size in the range from %2 to Me of an inch and forming a first perforated barrier, a felt cushion applicator secured to said cap and extending over said first barrier, said felt cushion having a well formed therein in the face thereof adjacent to said first barrier, said felt cushion having its thickness protruding entirely beyond said cap and having its capillary passages generally parallel with said first perforated barrier, and a second perforated barrier parallel with said first barrier, said second perforated barrier being within said neck spaced from said first barrier and having openings therein of a size within said range.

3. An impact type paint hammer including an elongated container for paint having a protruding neck at one end of the container, said neck protruding outwardly from said end in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the container with an outlet therethrough, a felt pad protruding beyond the end of said neck portion and extending across said outlet, said felt pad being exposed to its full thickness in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the container and being adapted to be struck in the direction of said longitudinal axis and having its fibres oriented transversely across said outlet and generally perpendicular to the direction of striking, said pad having a thickness in the direction of striking which lies within the range from /2 to of an inch, and a central well formed in the inner surface of said pad having a depth extending to approximately one-half of said thickness.

4. A paint hammer adapted for marking lumber and the like comprising a handle, a mounting bracket on one end of said handle and a container for paint secured by said bracket to the end of said handle and positioned gen erally at right angles to said handle, said container having a protruding neck at one end of substantially less width than the width of said container, a barrier extending across said protruding neck and having a plurality of perforations therein, a felt pad secured to the end of said protruding neck, said felt pad protruding beyond the end of said neck and having the axial extent of the pad periphery exposed for compression of the pad in absorbing striking blows occurring in usage, said pad having a central well formed therein in the surface of the pad facing said barrier, said well having a depth equal approximately to one-half of the thickness of said pad, the diameter of said Well being approximately equal to the wall thickness of the pad surrounding said well, said felt pad having capillary passages extending radially outwardly through the wall of the pad surrounding said well, whereby said pad controls the flow of paint to its marking surface as required.

5. An impact-type paint hammer including a container for paint having a protruding neck with an outlet therethrough, a barrier extending across said outlet and having a plurality of openings therein of a size in the range from of an inch to A2 of an inch, a circular felt pad mounted across said outlet and extending a substantial distance beyond the end of said neck with the axial extent of the pad periphery being exposed for compression of the pad in absorbing striking blows occurring during usage, said pad having a large central well formed in the inner surface thereof facing toward said barrier with an annular portion of the pad encircling said well, said pad having radial capillary passages therein passing through the annular portion of the pad, the front marking portion of said pad and said annular portion thereof being integrally connected, whereby the paint flows primarily from said well radially out to the perimeter of said pad and said flow is controlled by the intermittent compression of said capillary passages as said pad is struck against the objects being marked.

6. A paint hammer adapted for marking trees, lumber, railroad ties, and the like, comprising an elongated handle adapted to be swung in hammer fashion, a mounting bracket secured to one end of said handle, an elongated cylindrical container of paint releasably held in said bracket, said bracket being adjustable in angle with respect to the handle for adjusting the angular position of the longitudinal axis of said container with respect to the handle, said container having a neck protruding axially from one end, said neck being of substantially less diameter than the diameter of said container, a perforated barrier extending across the neck of said container having a plurality of openings therein, a screw-type cap engaging over the end of said neck and having an opening therein, a pad of felt secured to the outer end surface of said cap by a narrow band of adhesive beneath the inner surface of said pad adjacent to the periphery of said pad and extending around the opening in said cap, the entire thickness of said pad being exposed and protruding beyond the outer end surface of said cap, said pad having a well therein formed in the inner surface of said pad and within the band of said adhesive, said well facing toward said perforated barrier, said felt pad having capillary passages therein extending in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the can, said capillary passages extending from said well out to the periphery of said pad, whereby the paint flows from the container through said perforated barrier into said well and then flows transversely out to the periphery of said pad, and said flow is controlled by the intermittent compression of said capillary passages as said pad is struck against the objects being marked.

7. A paint hammer as claimed in claim 6 and wherein. the end surface of said cap has a plurality of openings therein forming a second perforated barrier.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 8 Morishita Oct. 13, 1931 Allen Aug. 21, 1934 f Bischofswerder Dec. 9, 1941 Carvalho Apr. 29, 1952 Nadai Sept. 30, 1958 Bartkewitz July 28, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS Denmark Aug. 6, 1928 Austria L Nov. 10, 1937 Switzerland Oct. 2, 1939 Germany H Oct. 3, 1924 Italy July 21, 1952 Great Britain May 31, 1938 France Apr. 23, 1934 

